1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a proximity sensor. In particular, the invention relates to a non-contact strip sensor for identifying the presence of proximate objects from variations in an electric field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Proximity sensors are widely used in the automotive industry to automate the control of power accessories. For instance, proximity sensors are often used in power window controllers to detect the presence of obstructions in the window frame when a window panel is being directed to the closed position. Such sensors can also be used to detect the presence of obstructions in other types of automotive closures such as sunroofs, side doors, sliding doors, lift gates, and deck lids.
A variety of capacitor-based proximity sensors are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,009 discloses a system for preventing the pinching or trapping of a foreign object by a closing panel (such as a window) through the use of a sensing electrode or plate. This electrode is a metal strip or wire which is embedded in a plastic or rubber molding strip placed behind a piece of fascia or other trim part. The metal strip or wire and the chassis of the vehicle collectively form the two plates of a sensing capacitor. A foreign object placed between these two electrodes changes the dielectric constant and thus varies the amount of charge stored by the sensing capacitor over a given period of time. The charge stored by the sensor capacitor is transferred to a reference capacitor in order to detect the presence of a foreign object. Similar capacitive sensing applications are known from DE 4036465A, DE 4416803A, DE 3513051A1, and DE 4004353A.
One of the problems with the known prior art capacitive sensing systems relates to the distance between the electrode(s) and the sheet metal or chassis ground of the automobile, which is in relative close proximity to the sensor electrode(s). Each of these systems incorporates a large background capacitance into the measurement. For example, in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,009 reference, the electrode may be only 5-8 mm away from the sheet metal of the automobile. Accordingly, it becomes relatively more difficult to sense small objects near the electrode because of the dominance of the background capacitance, and special measures have to be taken to filter out or eliminate this capacitance from the decision-making process.